Storytelling Principles

Transcription

1 Storytelling Principles Introduction The Power of a Story The Bible as a Story The purpose of the Bible Different kinds of Stories Christopher Booker "Seven Basic Plots Why We Tell Stories" 1. Overcoming the Monster Defeating some force that threatens. Examples: most Hollywood films, Star Wars, James Bond

2 2 2. The Quest Typically a group set off in search of something and (usually) find it. Examples: Pilgrim's Progress, Indiana Jones 3. Voyage and Return The hero journeys away from home to somewhere different and comes back having experienced something and maybe changed for the better. Examples: Gulliver s Travels, Wizard of Oz 4. Comedy Some kind of misunderstanding or ignorance is created that keeps parties apart which is resolved towards the end, bringing them back together. Examples: Notting Hill, Pride and Prejudice 5. Tragedy Someone is tempted in some way, vanity, greed, etc., and becomes increasingly desperate or trapped by their actions until at a climax they usually die. Unless it s a Hollywood movie, when they escape to a happy ending. Examples: Hamlet, Devil s Advocate 6. Rebirth Hero is captured or oppressed and seems to be in a state of living death until it seems all is lost, when miraculously they are freed. Examples: Snow White, Die Hard films 7. Rags to Riches As it suggests Examples: Cinderella & derivatives (all 27,000 of them!)

3 Exercise Categorise the following Bible stories into one (or more) of the above plot types. Make a note of the climax in each. 3 David & Goliath (1 Samuel 17) Ruth (Ruth 1-4) Jesus' Death and Resurrection The 12 Spies (Numbers 13-14) Naaman (2 Kings 5) Balaam s Donkey (Numbers 22) The Wise Men (Matthew 2) Naomi (Ruth 1-4) Solomon (1 Kings 11) Gideon (Judges 6-7) Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22) Prodigal Son (Luke 15) Moses at the Red Sea (Exodus 14) Wilderness wanderings (Numbers) Samson (Judges 13-16) Sending out the 12 disciples (Mark 6) Paul in prison (Acts 16) Jesus temptation (Matthew 4) Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27) Joseph sold into Egypt (Genesis 37-41) Healing the demoniac (Luke 8)

4 4 Storytelling Preparation Structure Beginning tension Middle turning point End resolution Elements within the Structure Pace of the text Time factor outside the story can be as much as yrs. Within the story the pace also changes eg. Abraham Think about the amount of text given to different aspects of the story Narrator s comments Judges 21:25, John 4:9 Repetition words, concepts, scenes eg. Word of the Lord (1 Kings 17-19) What is the mood? Tension, surprise, ending

5 5 Who dominates the stage? Protagonists (David), antagonists (Goliath), foils those who enhance the central characters by contrast (Saul) Eg. Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37) as a foil to Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) Other characters Who knows what? e.g Disciples vs Mark 1:1 Empathise with character by trying to read it as if for the first time. Other Bible references Is this story referred to somewhere else? Hebrews 11 commenting on Abraham in Genesis 22 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 on the Exodus Dialogue embedded in the story Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22:6b - 8 Elijah in 1 Kings 17:1 Repeated reading sheds new light Use a variety of translations Remember: God is the hero of every story. Legalism and moralism lurk constantly at the door!

6 6 Exercise Your assigned story is: 1. Read the story and identify the plot type (as per Session 1) 2. Where is the climax? 3. Break the story into scenes and summarise each in a single short sentence. 4. Make notes about the story based on the elements described in this session.

7 Storytelling Presentation 7 StoryTELLING not storyreading! Eye contact Voice Speed o quickly for movement, to move story on o slowly to emphasise main point, build suspense (Abraham) Volume o Rahab & the spies o God s anger (Exodus 3) Facial expression Reflects mood for better or worse! Rehearse in front of a mirror! Participation chant or repeat something guess the mood with faces thumbs up thumbs down movement - geographic and dramatic

8 8 Method Pictures; projector or flannel Sketch and tell Puppets or models Drama and masks Emotional engagement Sensory engagement Resources: